The Departure

The Departure was an Englishrock band from Northampton, formed in October 2003. Their debut album, Dirty Words, was released 13 June 2005 by Parlophone. A second album, Inventions, was expected to be released in early 2008, but was not (due to issues with the band's record label, Parlophone). The band split up on 30 January 2008.

The Departure

David Jones performing with The Departure at Manchester Apollo on 26 March 2005

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The group formed in January 2004 after starting in Northampton as a collaboration between a former Christian commune member David Jones (vocals/guitar) and his friend Sam Harvey. After recruiting old school associate Ben Winton (bass) and Lee Irons (guitar), the lineup was completed with the addition of Andy Hobson (drums) via a musician's ad website.[1] Jones described the concept of the band to music webzine Drowned in Sound: "We all got quite excited about the whole ethos of what we’re trying to do, which is to take 1980s reference points and transcend them into modern day, edgy, instant kind of sounds."[2]

They were signed to Parlophone after playing only three gigs and being together for just four months,[2] a fact that attracted a considerable level of derision and scepticism.[3] Touring slots with The Killers, Feeder, Duran Duran, Placebo, supporting them at Wembley Arena, The Tears and a reformed Gang Of Four soon followed as the band sought to build a support base ahead of their first wing of releases. Debut single "All Mapped Out" was released on 2 August 2004 and debuted at number 30 on the UK singles chart. The track was included on the soundtrack to Driver: Parallel Lines. Follow-up single "Be My Enemy" emerged on 18 October 2004 and was included on the soundtrack to FIFA 06.

They released a debut album Dirty Words, produced by Steve Osborne (who also worked with New Order, Suede and Happy Mondays), a year after signing to Parlophone at Realworld Studios in Bath. The album was trailed the week before its release by the reissue of the "All Mapped Out" single. Disappointingly it was lower in the charts than the original. The album drew a middling response from critics,[4] who varied between praising the album for its bleak, futuristic atmosphere[5] and slating it for its perceived superficiality and over-reliance on the music of the 80s for inspiration.[6]

A UK tour and festival appearances followed soon after. In early 2006, Lee Irons had left the band citing artistic differences.[7]
Andy Hobson left later that year and was replaced by the original drummer, Simon Alexander. The four-piece began work on the follow-up to Dirty Words in Grouse Lodge Studios, Ireland which was expected to release in 2007. On 30 January 2008 the band announced that they had split up after being dropped by Parlophone.

In 2010, David Jones reappeared with a new band called NewIslands and a single called "Out of Time". An album was announced but not released.